Tool rack



Jun@ 26, 1923.

A. J. RIEHLE TOOL RACK Filed March 2, 11922 June 26, 1923.

. y 1.459.93 A. J. RIEHLE TooL RACK Filed March 2.`1922 -l 2 sheets-sheet 2 Zim @M4 l Anwney 54 M33 45 A Patente June 26, 1923.

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` irren `ALBI-nw I. RIEHLII, or CINCINNATI, oIIIo. f

1.59.93 NFF 15C no troon RACK.

To all whom t may concern.' i

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. RIEHLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain` new and useful Improvements in Tool Racks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for holding tools for convenient access; and its object is to provide for readily transporting a number of tools, such as machinists tools, about a shop, such as a garage, and for conveniently storing` the tools and enclosing them, when not in use, and as conveniently exposing the tools for easy access when they are to be used. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description. l

I attain these objects by the device illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of the tool rack, partly opened for use of the tools, and lowered into a stationary condition;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, fully closed, and showing, by full lines, the lowered stationary condition, and by dotted lines the positions of the parts which are operated to raise the device for transportation;

Fig. 3 is a partial front-to-rear vertical cross-section of the device on the planes oi' the broken line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same, front parts being broken away and omitted for clearness, and middle parts being broken away and omittedv for lack of space; and

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the device,

corresponding to Fig. 3. j

As I prefer to embody my invention, the broad fiat top l preferably is of wood `of considerable thickness, vand at its front is supported by front legs 2 connected lengthwise by the upper rail 3 and the lower rail 4L.; these being angle-bars and the upper one having a horizontal member extending forward with its upper surface even with the upper ends of the legs 2 which also are angle-bars, each with one member secured to the vertical member of the upper rail 3 `and the other member vprojecting rear- `wardly.

The lower rail 4f, which is rather morethan half way down the legs 2, is secured inside these legs; being an angle bar with upright member secured thus to the front members of the legs2 and hori-` zontal member projected backward. Upper end rails 5 and lower end rails G project i back from the respective front legs 2; the

upper one being an angle bar similar to the front upper rail 3 and secured-to the backwardly projected member of the respective leg 2 by kits upright member and having its horizontal member projected outward; while the lowerone is an angle bar similar to the frontlower rail 4 with upright member secured inside the respective leg 2 and horizontal member projected. inward. The rear legs 7 are angle bars positioned similarly to the front legs 2, but inversely, with one'member of each leg pro-` jected forwardand secured to the Vupright members of the end rails 5 and v6 in the same relation as the front legs 2 have to these rails, and they other' member projecting across lengthwise of the structure, at the rear.

The top l, does not extend as far back as the rear legs 7. Its end parts and its front edge part are securedito the outwardly projected horizontal members of the upper end rails 5 and vupper front rail by screws `8 passed up through these members (Fig. Wall posts 9, of angle bars, are secured upright at opposite ends of the i structure, to the respective upper rail 5' and lower rail 6 by their rearwardly projected members,fwith the rear edges of these members even with the rear edge of the top l', a considerable distance forward from 'the rear legs 7. Between these posts 9 and thev rails 5 and 6, however, are end wall plates l0, projecting from rail 5 to rail 6 and from post 9 back to rear leg 7 at the respective end, and secured to these parts. The upper rear rail ll is an angle bar with upright member secured to the other kmembers of the wall posts 9 which project across lengthwise of the structure; the horizontal member of rear rail il projecting forward, even with the tops of the posts 9 and rails 3 and 5, and secured yto the rear edge part of the top l by screws 12 (Fig. 3) the same as the rails Sand are secured by the screws 8.v The lower rear rail 13 is an `angle bar with upright member-secured to said other members of the posts 9 and its horizontal member at the bottom, projected forward,` and at its ends lying over and secured to the inwardly projectedhorzontal members of' the" lower end `rails 6. The intermediate rear rail 14 is sim- `Ila'r to the lower rear rail 13, and is secured.

rail (i to the other, and:` being secured on top ofthe horizontal members fof all of these rails, as well as secured, to the lower rear rail 13 alongthe length thereof. -The rear edge ofl this platelG is flanged up (Fig. 3) and,` projects slightly back of the rear legs 7. Midway of the length, at the front, a stile barl extends upright with end parts 'secured to the fronts ofthe upright meinbers of the upper and lower front rails 3 and 4; thus reinforcing the shelf structure atl the middle, in front;l the latter being amply supported at the rear by the rear wall'. structure including the plate 15.

The drawer rails 18 are angle bars, in twopairs, those of each pair having lower horizontal members projected toward each other andl secured at the rear to the-top of `of therespective pairs.

the intermediate rear rail 14 and at the front tosmall brackets 19 fixed` inside the front leg 2 and stile bar 17, respectively. The drawers 20 slide `on thesemembers, 'between the upright `members of these drawer rails The backs 21 ofthe drawers lie under the upper rail 11 when the drawers are closed with the fronts of the drawers even with the front legs 2 and i stile bai-,17. Each drawer 'back 21 has a flange 22 (Fig. 3) extending forward, with a lug 23 projecting up to engage the front side of the depending member of the upper rear rail 11 and thus limitA backward sliding of the drawer, Also, this flange has a recess 24 just forwardly of the drawer back 21, and a fiat spring strip is fixed to the back ofthe rail 11, with a downwardly inclined part succeeded by an upwardly "extended part, formingv a downwardly projected nose 25, and (ending, at the rear, in an upwardly extending loop 26 with a lip 27 closeA to the lower side of the top 1, adjacent to its rear edge. rlhis lip rises above the level of the lower surface of the top 1 for the .nose 25 to leave the recess 24.I so as to have no effect, upon closing or opening of the respective drawer 20. Holding the'head or lip 27 down confines the springstrip so f thatthe nose 25 can enter but not rise out of the recess 24, preventing opening of the drawer. f

'The back 28 kcomprises the upright rails 29, which. are Sangle bars, and-the top strip 3.0,` preferably of wood, of the same thickness as the'top 1, securedto the upperends ofthe rails 29I by' angle brackets 3:1.' on the forwardly projected members of the respective rails 29; the otherfmembers ofy these rails projecting out toward the adjacent ends of the structure. cated that these other members overlap the rear members ofthe legs 7, with the forwardlyprojected members of the rails v.29`

close to the inner, edges of those rear leg members; the legs 7 thus forming upright guides for the back, 28. Small` angle bar clip rails 32, fixed inside the angles ofthe rails 29, lap across the fronts of the in,- wardly projected members 'of the rear legs 7. holding the back 2 3 forward in upright.

The back position on the guiding legs 7. board 33, preferably of wood, is fixed to the backs of the rails 29 under the `rear edge ofthe top strip It extends down." far enough to overlaptherear flanged edgeof the shelfI plate 1G when farthest up lin the travel of the back 23. lt has fixed in it.` in various positions in its upper part, forwardly `projected hooks 34 and staples35,

These rails 29 are so lov under thetop strip 3Q.' Near each end, this back board 33 is recessed, just` below ythe top strip 30, admitting linger-socket; plates 3,6 (Figs. 3 and 4) opening rearwardly and iixedto the rear side by flanges 37. vMidway of the length of the strip 30, in, its front edge, is a lock 38 with a bolt 39 actuated by a key inserted in a key-hole 40 `opening through the top of lthe strip 30 g ,this bolt engaging in a plate 41 set n therearedge of the top 1 when the back28 is lowered untilthe end projections of the strip 3Q rest on the tops of the end rails 5. Thestrip 3,0 then has its front edge snug against the rear edge of the top 1 and forms a continuation of-the top. 1n this, position, the top strip 30, engaging the lips or heads 27, prevents rising of the noses 25 .from the recesses 24 inthe drawer-back flanges 22, locking the drawers 20 as before described. A ledge 42 is fastened to the baclrboard32 and the brackets 43 on the inner sides of the rails' 29 near the bottom of the back board 32, being preferably off wood; this ledge so located that it will lie close up to vthe rear edge of the top 1 when .the back 28 israised to highest position, thus closing the` space at the rear of the top 1. Preferably, the

ino

ledge 42 has holes 44 down through it` into which tools may be inserted, tobe held by the ledge for eas)T access when theback is raised.

Slightly below the ledge 42 each back rail; 29 has fixed on its forwardly projected member a bearing'liracket45, projected Vfor;

wardly; and -ak shaft 46 isjournalled Alength,-I`

wise of the structure in thesebrackets,451 having fixed `on it just outsldeithe respective brackets, spur pinions 47. Racks 48aref. fixed uprigl-it,v by brackets '49 tothe ,backsfr of vthe respective wall posts 9, facing.bacheV wardv Tand meshing with ,the respectivev pinions 47. helical torsionall spring y50 is thel shafte; and having'its other end se# cured to a similar hub 52 loose on the shaft Gand kept from turning by a pin 53 passed i through a detent` plate 54C in the back board i The resistance required ot the spring, Jfor` a number of notches 57 `in this periphery,

if'and entering anyone of a number of holes 55` in theperiphery of the hub 52. rlliis allows adjustment of the `torsion of the spring 50. `When the back is pressed down, the spring is woundup, `so that'it actsto coui'iterbalancethe back 28 and articles carried thereon. 50 may be adjusted, byfmeans of the pin 52;, as desired; approximately to balance the back 28 and its load, `making it easyjfor the user to lift the back by engaging the fingers in the sockets 36. i 0r the spring 50 may be made to lii't the backslowly when the late ter -is released by unlocking the ylock 38.

either purpose, will `vary with the number and size ofthe tools carriedionI the back 28, and approximate adjustment may be made accordingly. i k f i 'The shait -l6,-with its -pinions 47 meshing with the racks 48 near remote ends oit the structure` prevents 'tilting of the -baclr 28 longitudinally, should I"it `be loaded more near one end than near the otherend. y l Should the spring 50 beadjustedl so that it does not quite balance the load, a 7detent spring 56, secured to the back ledge L'l2 and bearing on, the periphery of the hub l that is pinned to the shaft 46 to enter any one oi' will hold the back at any one of several desired heights.` lf thisdetent means is `made resistive enoughi, it can `hold the back up r without the spring 50; the user overcoming the entire weightor' the back "and its load in raising it, or lowering it with the aid oit the braking pressure of this detent means on the hub 51.`

spring 50. i 1 f y "A'yoke is .made up of bars 58, with a caster 59 mounted between them nearione end ot the structure, and diverging toward the oppositel end, where they 'are pivoted to the legs 2 and 7. Nearithis end, a shaft 60 ei;- tends from bar to bar with wheels' 61 journaled on it near the respective bars, where they are held by collars 62. A link 33 pivotcd to thenarrowend ot the yoke extends up and lis pivoted to a crank Gel journaledy transversely ot the adjacent end of the structurein brackets `on the legs 2 and 7 ot this end. This crank G4 is thecentral part of a bar G6 bent to form this crank; and also.,

at its :forward end this crank bar 66 is bent The rf-isistance` of the spring A tube 50 forms a casing tor bar ailittleover 1.800. When the handle is turned up, the wheels `59 and 61 are raised,

and the `legs `2and 7' rest firmly. on the `floor, as in Fig. l. ,l/Vhen this handle 67 is turned down, as 'indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2,'the wheels y59 and 61 are forced down, as shown by dotted lines alsofin Fig. 2; and

the tool rack thus will be'raisedV and sup-j` articles so held are enclosed in the rear space behind thewall plate 15, with the rear projection ot the shelf plato `l@ `at the bottom, the end wall plates l() at the end, the top strip 30 at the top., and the back board 33 at kthe yrear with the rear ianged edge ot the shelf plate 16 closely in contact therewith. With thisback thus locked down by thelock 38, the articles are protected. rl`he drawers 2() are ior tools used less often; and these arelocked automaticallywhen the` back is down, by the noses 25 and loops 26, as.` before described. `The broad iiat top l, and the shelf formed by the plate 16 with a raised rim all around, are convenienty for receiving tools temporarily.,v during the. work; or :t'or storage ot' articles not requirn i'iigito be locked away. `The raised and low ered back 28 is more convenient than drawers, or` a chest witli lid to be raised; it is not necessary to clear away articles from the y top l toget access to the tools held by the back'28, would be the case if the top were hinged `tor storage of articles thereunder or on its lower side. f i Mannerof yuse kother than those shown herein may occur, and while certain details' i Y. dit:

being limited to such precise showing and description, but having Y thus fully described my invention, j v

i/Vliat l claim as new and desire to secure by yLetters Patent is: y

f l. In a toolrack7 a structure comprising a compartment having one -upright side movable up and down and provided with means whereby said side holds articles on its inner surface, to be enclosed in said compartment or exposed for access' said side is moved one way or another, a drawer in said structure. and means whereby said drawer is locked when said side is moved to enclose said articles.

2. In a tool rack, a structure comprising a top and a compartment below and to the rear of said top, having its rear upright side movable up above said top and down below said top and provided with means whereby locked under said top when saidyrside -issaid side holds articles on its inner surface to be enclosed in said compartment or exposed for access above said top as said side is moved down or up, a drawer in said 'structure under said top, and means whereby said drawer is, locked under said .top when said side is moved down to enclose said articles.

tln a tool rack,` structure ycomprising a compartment having one upright side movf able up and down and provided with means whereby said sid-e holds articles on its inner' surface to be enclosed .in said compartment or exposed for access as said side is moved one way or the other, aA shaftextending from end to endof said structure, and operative connections between said shaft and#` said movable side, and between said shaft-and other parts of said structure, near opposite` ends of said shaftpvhereby said'shaft limi-ts endwise tilting ofV said side and preventsv bindingof said side in its vup and down movement. f f

.ln a tool rack, a structure comprising a top and a compartment below VVand to thefrear of said top, `having .its rear .upright side movable up above saidtop and `down below .said` top and lprovided with means whereby said side holds articles on. its-:inner surface'itolbe enclosed in said compartment lor exposed for access above said `top as said side is moved down or up, an upper part of said, rear side pro] ecting forward `over said compartment and forming a rear continuation ofgsaid top when said side isdown a drawer in said structure under -said top, and means engaged by sai'd upper' part of said rear side whereby said drawer is moved down to enclose said articles.

in atool rack, a structure comprising a compartment having one upright side move able up and down and `provided with means whereby. said side holds articles on its `inner surface :to be enclosed in said compartment or exposed for access as said side is moved one way or the other, operative connecting;

means near opposite ends of said side, -connected to said side7 a shaft connecting; said means whereby .said side is prevented `from tilting in'its up and down movement, and a spring coiled around said shaft with one end attached to said shaftV to turn therewith `and the other end` non-rotatively held.

6. In a toolrack, a structure comprisinga compartmentA having 4one upright side Imovable up and down and provided withiineans` whereby said side holds articles on its inner surface to be enclosed. in said compartment or exposed for accessvas said `side is'moved one way or the other, a shaft journaled lengthwise of said ,movable lside, pinions fixed on said shaft near opposite endsthere` of, racks lined u-.pi'iight kon another part of' said structure and meshing with the respec-tivev ypinions, spring coiiled karound said'shaft with one end attached toJ said shaft to turn therewith, and means holding the other end ofsaid spring to said movable side;` H

, ,7. ln atool rack, a structure eomprisinga compartment' hzwing. one upright side `mov` able up .and `down and lprovide-d with means nected to the other .endofsaid spr-ing, and

means onsaid movable side preventing this hub `from turning.

8. In a tool'` rack, a structurecompri'sing a compartment having one @upright side movableupI and downand provided-withIV means whereby said' `side holds rarticles on its inner surface to be enclosed in said compartment or exposed for accessvas said-` side islmoved one way or theiother, a shafft journaledl lengthwise of said-movablev side, .pin-` ions fixed on said shaft nearv oppositeends thereof', racksxedupright on another part of said structure ,and meshing. withf ther-e-y spective pinionsmeans Xed onsaid shaft, having a .concentricV notched peripheny,"and detent means mounted on said movable side and `engaging with said periphery to enter the notchesthereof. u l

9.- In-a'tool rack,a structurecomprising a compartment having one upright side mov able up and'idow-n andfprovided with means whereby said sidefholdsarticles on its inner surface, tobe enclosedin saidl compartment or exposedE for access assaid side is fmoved one way or the other, and means to counter'- balancesaidvslde in its upvand downmovement,A

ALBERT J, RIEHLE.-

detent means whereby said `side holds articles on its inner i sov 

